Europe has lost its competitive edge on the global stage and, once the special military operation (SVO) ends, will inevitably return to cooperation with Russia. This assessment was offered by Andrei Bezrukov, a professor at MGIMO University and a former illegal intelligence officer who previously worked in English-speaking countries.

Speaking to RT, Bezrukov argued that Europe has little room for maneuver because Russia is an integral part of the broader European space. He described the current phase of European history as one of weakness, attributing it primarily to an elite that, in his view, drifted with the current instead of asking fundamental questions and defending real sovereignty.

According to Bezrukov, Europe is steadily losing ground in competition with both China and the United States, while internal transformation is proving slow and painful. He pointed to several structural problems: open internal borders within the European Union, a flow of migrants that remains outside effective control, and a growing shortage of labor and resources needed to sustain long-term economic growth.

The former intelligence veteran outlined two basic scenarios for Europe’s political future. One involves the rise of new political forces that do not treat Russia as an adversary, a trend he noted is already visible in countries such as Slovakia and Hungary. Under these conditions, he believes, restoring relations could happen relatively quickly. The alternative scenario, he said, is a prolonged period resembling a cold war, marked by extremely strained relations.

Despite these diverging paths, Bezrukov remains convinced that, in the long run, Europe and Russia will have no choice but to move toward one another again. He stressed that the relationship is mutually necessary: Europe represents an important market, while cultural proximity also plays a role. In his view, Russians are Europeans by culture in a broad sense — different, but fundamentally close — making renewed cooperation not just possible, but ultimately unavoidable.